Cherry Bakewell Swiss roll

Serves: 8
Course: Dessert
Cooking Time: 1 hr 0 mins
Ingredients
  • For the sponge:
  • 6 eggs, separated
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 50g plain flour, sifted
  • 15g icing sugar
  • For the cherry almond filling:
  • 250g mascarpone cheese
  • 60g icing sugar
  • 350ml cream
  • 2tsp almond extract
  • tsp vanilla extract
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 5 tbsp (60g) cherry jam
  • To serve:
  • 50g fresh or frozen cherries, defrosted if frozen
  • 20g flaked almonds, lightly toasted
  • Icing sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees, or 160 degrees fan. Line a baking tray (40 x 30cm) with parchment paper.

2. Cut another piece of baking paper, a little larger than the tray, and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, using an electric beater, stand mixer or by hand, whisk the egg yolks with 100g of the sugar, for about 10 minutes, until thick, pale and voluminous. The egg yolk should be tripled in size. Transfer to a clean bowl, and clean the stand mixer bowl, if using.

4. Whisk the egg whites with the remaining 50g of sugar to a soft peak. Gently fold the egg whites into the whisked yolks in thirds, followed by the sifted flour. Once there are no more visible lumps of flour, spread the sponge mix on the lined baking tray and bake for 20 minutes until puffed and golden.

5. While the sponge is cooking, dust the reserved piece of parchment with the icing sugar. Once the sponge is cooked, turn the sponge out onto the sugar-dusted paper and peel off the parchment. Slowly roll up the Swiss roll from the short side and leave to cool completely.

6. Whisk the mascarpone, icing sugar, cream, almond and vanilla extracts and orange zest together in a large bowl to a soft peak.

7. Once the Swiss roll is cool, unroll carefully, and spread the cherry jam over the sponge. Spread two-thirds of the almond cream filling over the jam, then re-roll the sponge.

8. Spoon or pipe the remaining third of almond filling on top, followed by the fresh or defrosted frozen cherries. Garnish with the flaked almonds and a little icing sugar.

Aoife Noonan

Aoife Noonan

Aoife Noonan is a pastry chef and culinary consultant. She writes a weekly baking column for the Irish Times Magazine